I have always been using KeePass on my notebook as my password manager till recently when I moved back to KL. Read on to find out why.
The problem;
I have 3 windows based machines that I use regularly. 2 at home and 1 for the road. They all have access to the net. Firefox with Google’s browser sync extension is what I use to keep my bookmarks, urls and forms synchronized between them.
All the login details for my banking sites and secure work sites are stored in my trusty KeePass. When I get back I normally work on my desktops. I have to export the KeePass database from my notebook and import it into my into my notebooks and every time I have a new login added I have to repeat the export/import process all over again. This prompted me to start seaching for an alternative solution. Online password managers!!
The Solutions,
I found 2 possible solutions. PassPack and Clipperz .
PassPack
PassPack has been around for some time now(Dec 2006). It is feature packed,secure and I love the simple,functional and clean interface. The learning curve needed to get used to PassPack is almost 0 to none.
[![passkey_demo.gif)
Some of the features that stand out to me are;
Auto Lock - PassPack will automatically save and lock my passwords with the packing key whenever the page if left ideal for 2 minutes. Anonymous - I never provided my email addresses. Password generator - cool built in password generator. Scramble - Scrambles my password field on command when someone is passing by. On by default. AES - AES is the encryption method approved by the US Gov. Import/Export - Ability to easily import and export my password list. I used this in import from KeyPass. PassPack Blog - Covers everything about PassPack. I have using PassPack for a few days now and it’s awesome!!
Clipperz
Clipperz is the new kid on the block who is out to give PassPack a run for it’s money. It boosts a colorful and simple interface but I feel PassPack has a simpler interface.
[![clipperz_screenshot.png][7]][8]
Cool features;
Cool interface - The interface is simple with a good color scheme. Direct Logins - Single sign on. Allows me to log in directly to a site directly provided yo have the site credentials already saved. Bookmarklet - I can easily add a new website to my Clipperz. Anonymous - No email address require. Encrypt by browser - Data is encrypted by my browser before being sent to the Clipperz servers. Clipperz only stores my encrypted data. What’s lacking;
Import/Export - No import feature yet. Export only exports to a printable version. I have to use the offline copy feature to save an offline copy. Mozilla only - Only mozilla based browsers supported. Mozilla, Sea monkey and Firefox. Java script - Clipperz uses opesource based cryptographic functions. [Read more at Ajaxian][9]. Who will I blame and take to court when my passwords are exploited? Direct Login - Honey pot for hackers to reverse engineer? I think so. Clipperz is a good tool. They are not quite there yet but I believe with other solutions out there like PassPack the developrers at Clipperz will surely push the envelope on futher enhancements.
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